UC Irvine

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. The combination of noncurative treatments and severe comorbidities are significant contributors to this high mortality rate. In recent years, the use of adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT), leveraging the body’s own immune system to recognize and target cancer has become increasingly popular. Unfortunately, while ACT has been successful in the treatment of hematological malignancies, it is less efficacious in CRC due to tumor heterogeneity and the lack of targetable antigens. In response to the need for improved treatment options with greater specificity and efficacy, the purpose of this thesis is to systematically review the efficacy and safety of adoptive T-cell therapy in CRC and to optimize ACT methods to increase potency towards CRC tumors in vitro.